Raising Crops by Raising Skills: Building Human Capacity for Sustainable Production
As the conflict in Afghanistan continued to span decades, the most basic component necessary for human progress-the ability to increase and convey knowledge-was eroded: children were separated from the wisdom of their ancestors; professionals left to find jobs in other countries, while those that remained were isolated from peers and progress. As international agriculture advanced to meet the demands of the global marketplace, Afghans fell further and further behind. The Future Harvest Consortium is addressing this issue.
	Water and soils course in Kabul conducted by scientists from Cornell University. To build sustainable agricultural production systems and improve operations and incomes, scientists, researchers, technicians, professors and farmers need access to the latest information and instruction in new skills and technologies. This is why the Future Harvest Consortium has built a training component into every project. Upgrading Afghan Professional Expertise As the central government and its institutions struggle to gain the confidence of the Afghan people, the Consortium is upgrading the skills of the Afghan researchers and agricultural university faculty members. The topics covered during training include: all aspects of seed systems, seed production and seed enterprise development, variety management, potato seed multiplication, integrated pest management, operation and management of experimental stations, use of field equipment, fertilizer and pesticide application, meteorological equipment/station operation, management of water resources and improvement of water-use efficiency, advanced radio production, format development and audio-editing, agricultural journalism, digital audio recording and editing, and computer training. Afghanistan researches participate in the water management training course at ICARDA. ICARDA has rebuilt agricultural stations in five provinces to facilitate farmer outreach. Consortium staff members are partnered with staff from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MOAL), with whom they work closely to rebuild infrastructure and restart research and extension activities. CIMMYT (International Center for Maize and Wheat Improvement), a Future Harvest partner offered unique training courses in wheat and maize improvement, specifically targeted toward scientists. The cultivars have shown excellent results in yield trials that are taking place at research stations where farmers have access to state-of-the-art technology, new varieties, and comprehensive training. Working Directly with Farmers Farmers were invited to learn about the production of virus-free potato seed in Jalalabad in a course conducted by the International Potato Center (CIP). The production of virus-free seed can be a business enterprise in itself, or a valuable tool in dramatically increasing yields. This training was repeated for over 725 Afghans in eight provinces. Cooperation with NGOs Water scarcity remains a critical barrier to agricultural production in Afghanistan. More than 100 Afghans have been trained in water management technologies by Cornell University, the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), the Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees (DACAAR), and ICARDA. Those candidates recommended by DACAAR will return to Afghanistan to be integrated into the agency's rebuilding strategy based on 'integrated agricultural development' activities. Preparing for a Market Based Economy The Consortium's focus on training has created qualified, skilled workers for both existing jobs and those that will be created as Afghanistan's economy improves. For example, the six seed health and quality testing laboratories being installed at the agricultural research stations, and the related training, are essential to build food security and to meet the high standards required for Afghanistan to compete in the global marketplace. Seed entering the country is tested for pests and pathogens, thus safeguarding the existing agricultural production. Seed being offered for sale by farmer entrepreneurs can be quality tested and labeled to build consumer confidence. This service calls for qualified Afghans to staff the labs. Thoughtful and strategic training conducted along with other rebuilding efforts is raising the capacity of Afghans. The Future Harvest Consortium is striving to enable Afghans to generate agricultural technologies that address the unique needs of their country and to achieve self-sufficiency. Provided that there is security and stability in the country, the effects will be felt for generations to come.

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